110 volt electrical

[jim and penny booher]

can anyone out there help with some advice , power coming out of the breaker box is good but when I get to the first light there is power on the hot and neutral but no light working, I ran the lights on 1 circuit

so I have three wires coming in and one dropped to the first light its 12/2 w/ground if that helps.

[John "T" Nordhoff]

  Its a bit hard to diagnose it from here, if there with a simple test lamp or meter it would be easy.

 "Power coming out of the breaker box is good"

    I guess you mean there's 120 VAC in the breaker box in the RV right???? Or do you only mean where you plug the RV cord in that's okay???? If good at post but NOT in RV, the cord or plugs are bad unless the RV panel has a main disconnect that's off or has a bad connection..............Do any other 120 VAC things in the RV work??? or is it ONLY that lighting circuit??? (if that's the case Id suspect a bad breaker or a loose connection or a broken terminal on the light or even a bad/broke/loose wire somewhere)

 "when I get to the first light there is power on the hot and neutral"

 Wellllllllll if theres indeed 120 VAC between the Hot and Neutral and if ??????????? The Hot and Neutral is wired to the correct light terminals (hard to get that wrong lol) the light will work PROVIDED THAT its not burned out AND PROVIDED theres not a loose or burned or partly broke terminal or connection somewhere.

 "so I have three wires coming in and one dropped to the first light its 12/2 w/ground"

 Does that circuit (dropped to lights) go through a circuit breaker in the RV??  If so is the breaker on and not tripped??? Those three wires to the light, is there 120 VAC from Hot (Black) and White (Neutral) ???

 SOME THOUGHTS: Okay, its possible if there's a loose or burned or carboned connection in the RV panel or in the cord or plugs or about anywhere A VOLTMETER CAN STILL SHOW 120 VAC but if you try to power a load it may not work because of the bad resistive connection. SO FIRST THING ID SO IS LOOK FOR LOOSE OR BURNED CONNECTIONS OR TERMINALS IN THE RV PANEL and turn all off and unplug the RV and tighten any and all panel and breaker and light connections!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 You gotta get "good" (IE no loose or burned or carboned or broke wires or connections) power to the RV and then through a good circuit breaker and then via "good" wires to the lights.

 SURE WIRES ARENT MIXED UP?? Normally Black is Hot, White is Neutral, Bare or Green is Equipment Grounding Conductor. Its 120 VAC from Hot to Neutral or Ground but no voltage from Ground to Neutral. Normally 12/2 w/Ground has the Black Hot and White Neutral and the bare or green ground.

 I'm thinking a bad or broken or loose connection or terminal (assuming any circuit breakers are good???) or else wires are mixed up. Could even be a bad plug or outlet or light fixture or any switches?? I JUST CANT DIAGNOSE IT FROM HERE OVER THE NET LOL 

 More info may help me help you...  Breakers??? Loose Connections?? Broke wire??? Bad Plugs cords or outlets???

 John T  Retired Electrical Engineer

[jim and penny booher]

thanks John T, when I gutted the camping trailer last winter I replaced the cloth covered wire with romex 12/2w/ground, instead of just wire nutting a pc of 12gage auto wire on for the lights , I junction boxed and nutted 1 incoming and 2 outgoing and a short pc from junction box to light fixture, my wirenut has 4 pcs in it ,is that to many? there is 120 vac from black to white at fixture and at main in breaker box I assume that means the shore power cord and the voltage is good.

I pulled the 20 amp breaker and inspected and replaced , it looked fine. 

the breaker is 2,  20 amps each all of the electrical outlets on 1 (works fine) and the other for lights

[jim and penny booher]

the power seems good all wires tied together ,white to white , black to black yada yada

the lights use an appliance bulb low draw I assume ,when I hold the light fixture it grounds it , at least my fluke light up tester says so I am stumped .

thanks for all the help

[jim and penny booher]

thanks to everyone out there for being great people we met some fine folks at Fowler park , it makes me glad America is the best country full of the best people GOD bless the USA

[jim and penny booher]

thanks John T I found the problem and fixed it , just had to cut a small hole in brand new birch paneling , don't tell the wife she will kill me LOL .

[John "T" Nordhoff]

  Congrats, I figured it want too complicated.

 "my wire nut has 4 pcs in it ,is that to many?

  Best I recall (NO warranty I didnt look it up)  a RED wire nut can handle 3 # 10 or 4 # 12 ?? A Yellow is just good for 2 # 12 I think??? As long as they fit and she torques down nice n tight its likely a good wire nut splice

"there is 120 vac from black to white at fixture and at main in breaker box I assume that means the shore power cord and the voltage is good."

 Probably except that a bad/loose/carboned connection can still yield a 120 VAC reading absent any current draw/load but put a load on it and that's the real test.

 Sounds like you fixed it, My lips are sealed lol

 John T